Keep It Safe for Me
by whitechocobo
Summary: Sometimes being the new kid in school isn't what people make it out to be. Being popular isn't really that fun. Hope, being the new kid, was only thankful that it allowed him to meet Lightning. School-fic. [HopexLightning]
1. Prologue

**Author's Note** : After leaving fanfiction for such a long time – the one pairing that actually got me back to it was this. I have fallen the same way I fell into countless other ships, they've just been absurdly too engrossing. This was just a way to destress so I hope it doesn't suck as much as I think it does. Ciao!

 **Title** : Keep It Safe for Me

 **Rating** : T

 **Disclaimer:** As much as I wasted my life away playing all of the Final Fantasy games ever made, I cannot claim to own anything by Square.

* * *

 _PROLOGUE_

* * *

First days of school are usually bad. The chaotic mixture of shyness, awkwardness, curiosity, wonder, nonchalance, the excitement of something new and everything in between were characteristic of the first day of classes. To Hope Estheim who was transferring in the middle of the school year - it was a death sentence. He was already shy and painfully awkward, tacking on the word 'new' did not improve his situation at the moment.

Hope let out a huff of air. His father has easily dismissed his fears saying, "I don't believe there has ever been a case of someone dying from 'worries', Hope. Now, get over it, go to school and get used to it as fast as you can."

So now here he was, standing in front of the entrance to the school with his ID card ready to slide into the door lock. He took another deep breath and allowed his hand to fall downward. This movement was followed by a loud beep and the audible swish of the two glass doors as they parted. A small gust of wind brushed against him as he entered the building and he could smell the artificial freshener.

The building was neither hot nor cold so Hope could easily tell it was being regulated. His gaze shifted to the shuffling students around the floor he was on. They walked around with ease and purpose - compared to him who was walking with carefully concealed apprehension.

It was going to be a long day.

* * *

By the time lunch came by, Hope had already been swamped with more questions than he was willing to answer. He liked people, sure, but Hope was more of a private person. He preferred getting to know people at his own pace. The same way he was just wandering the halls leisurely, following the mentally conjured map hhle had memorized the night before.

Hope had been deeply contemplating how he could avoid being surrounded by too many people later in the afternoon so he failed to note the faint echo of footsteps that had been growing increasingly louder and nearer as he reached the end of the hallway. He caught sight of the dark-haired woman who had run past his field of vision and just as he took a step out of the hallway and into the corridor, a great impact came against his left side - the side where the dark-haired woman had come from.

At first, his orientation had been upright, the next thing he knew he had landed painfully against the floor, banging the back of his head in the process. He groaned in pain, clutching his shoulder which seemed to have taken all the impact. The shuffling of clothes was followed by the weight over his abdomen disappearing abruptly.

Hope heard a heavy curse near him followed by a laugh from quite a distance. When Hope opened his eyes a few seconds later, he was greeted by the profile of angry blue eyes glaring beneath a wild mass of pink hair. He followed that searing gaze to the source and found it directed to the same dark haired woman he had seen moments before.

The dark-haired woman smiled mischievously and raised something Hope couldn't quite make out from where he was.

"When I get a hold of you, Fang Yun…" the girl near Hope said threateningly.

The other girl called Fang chuckled. "I did warn you, you know. That if you don't find one, I'd find one for you." The accent was thick in the other girl's voice.

The pink haired girl took a slow step forward. The other girl, Fang, didn't move. Then another. And another. When she was already half the distance between Hope and Fang. Fang raised her hand and skillfully threw the object Hope couldn't identify. It arched over the approaching girl, just out of her arms reach - and landed perfectly in Hope's lap.

It was a thin white ring with a silver chain. Hope fumbled with it and and threw Fang a confused look. Fang only responded with a smile and broke into another run.

The other girl glanced back at Hope and looked over him once. He met her blue eyes with the same confusion he felt. He held it out for her carefully, since it seemed so important to the other girl.

"Keep it safe for me," she said audibly as her gaze shifted back to the direction Fang had gone. Before Hope could respond, the other girl broke into a run as well, leaving him behind.

So there he was. Hope Estheim. New kid extraordinaire, dazed and disoriented with a ring from an unknown girl and a load of questions with no one to ask for answers.

Hope thought that whoever said that first days were bad was quite mistaken.

First days were _awful_. Bad was just too much of an understatement.

* * *

 **Endnote** : Meh. I'm pretty bad at prologues. This is actually my first attempt at writing school setting fanfiction~ Leave a review if it actually seems worth it.


	2. Even I Don't Understand

**Author's Note:** My story is fast-paced because I only write it when I'm walking to class or something or when I just don't wanna think of anything. If there was one main flaw in this story, it's that Lightning is a little bit too nice. I prefer her being bad-ass and bitchy. HA HA.

 **Title:** Keep It Safe for Me

 **Rating:** T

 **Disclaimer:** No. Just, no.

* * *

 **Chapter 1** _Even I Don't Understand_

* * *

Hope was the last person out of the lecture hall after his final class. As he stood up from the chair carefully, he pulled on one strap of his backpack and left the other strap hanging. He made his way out of the large already empty lecture hall. As he walked down the aisle, he could feel the weight of the ring in his blazer pocket.

"Keep it safe for me."

The girl's words echoed in his head. It must have been something important to her. But why had she left it in his care?

Over the course of the afternoon, Hope had actually seen other students wearing similar rings - but of different colors - as well. What did the ring mean?

And what did that girl named Fang mean when she said, "I'll find one for you?" Find what? Another ring?

When Hope had finally gone past the exit, he was only mildly surprised to find the pink-haired girl waiting for him outside. Of course she would want it back.

He met her gaze directly this time.

Clear blue eyes. Without any hint of anger like before.

The girl nodded in greeting and he gave an awkward smile in response. Hope didn't really know what to say at this point.

The girl continued to stare at him. He was starting to get uncomfortable after about a minute. Just as he opened his mouth to break the silence, she spoke first.

"I'm sure I haven't seen you before," she said quietly. Her voice held a raspy quality Hope had not heard in a girl before. "I've memorized all the freshmen's faces by now - but I've never seen you before." She continued. Hope could hear the silent question that followed.

'How can this be?'

"I'm…new," he answered without thinking how lame that sounded. "I mean," he added hastily. "I just transferred here after moving from Palumpolum."

His companion nodded once as if to say that she understood.

She stared at him again. Hope gave another awkward smile and asked, "Is there…something wrong?" There was a hint of hesitation he couldn't hide.

"You look tired. Go home. We can talk about this tomorrow." With that, she turned around and began walking.

"Wait!" He instinctively called out. She stopped but didn't look back. Hope knew she was waiting for him to explain.

"I can just give it back to you right now. It doesn't have to be tomorrow."

Hope pulled out the ring from his pocket and held it out to her. The girl turned back and fixed him with a look.

"I want you to keep it with you for now. I'm still deciding…" she turned away again as she finished her sentence, "if I'm going to give it to you."

Hope wanted to say more. To ask more. But there was finality in her tone just now and he knew he she wouldn't stop a second time.

He watched her walk away and slowly turned to walk in the opposite direction.

He would be sure to ask someone to explain what the ring meant tomorrow.

"This ring?" His seatmate was a hyperactive girl with red highlights in her dark brown hair. If Hope remembered correctly, she had introduced herself before as Chocolina.

"Why, this ring is actually one of the most coveted items of both 2nd years and freshmen! Everyone dreams of the person who will give them one someday. It's unique to each owner, very durable and its person specific as well. Only the person authorized to wear it will be able to wear it. It also-" she was babbling happily but before she could get any farther, Hope cut her off.

"You haven't explained to me what it is yet," he pointed out.

Chocolina looked surprised, "I haven't? Oh, silly me! The ring is an apprenticeship ring." She said proudly.

"What's an…apprenticeship ring?"

"You haven't been reading the student handbook, have you?" She asked knowingly.

"What student handbook?"

"The file that's in your SPECS, silly! It's almost impossible to miss once you boot the thing up."

"…SPECS?"

Her eyes widened and her forehead knotted a bit, "Now what did that mean again… uh… I got it!" She yelled gleefully. Hope was starting to be aware of the other students eyeing the two of them. "SPECS stands for Student Portable Electronic Communicator and Storage. All students are issued one when they're freshmen." She began to rummage through her bag and she suddenly brought out a pure black rectangular object, placing it on the table between them.

The object was about half a foot long and 4 inches wide.

"Don't you have one yet?" She inquired.

Hope tried to remember if his Father had mentioned anything about this to him.

"…I don't." He answered quietly.

"Then you should just go and request one from the administrative office."

"Alright. Now can you please tell me what an apprenticeship ring is for?"

Chocolina laughed. "Oh yes, we were talking about that weren't we? Alright, alright,an apprenticeship ring is -"

When she was finally about to explain, a teacher came in and announced the end of the self study session. Hope inwardly groaned.

"I'll tell you next time!" She said cheerfully as both of them got up to switch classrooms. They didn't have the same schedule, so their conversation was definitely put on hold.

Hope didn't try a second time asking, instead during the next break, he dropped by the Administrative Building to request for his own SPECS. He filled up some forms and was told he could drop by again tomorrow to pick it up.

Tomorrow.

He and that girl were going to talk about it today. Tomorrow would be too late. Maybe she'd understand his ignorance if she knew he didn't have a SPECS yet.

He doubted she was the type to excuse weakness though.

* * *

By the time his last class was over, Hope had an uncanny feeling that the pink-haired girl would be waiting for him outside again. Hope remained seated and waited.

Wondering if she would wait for him patiently or rush in and search for him herself.

After 5 minutes, the door swung open audibly.

'Yes, you do seem that type of person.' Hope thought to himself as he heard the clack of her shoes drawing closer to where he was seated. She moved to stand in front of him, leaning against the chair situated in front of his own.

She placed a medium sized box in front of him, just a bit smaller than a shoe box. She crossed her arms, looking a bit irritated.

"I went to the Admin Building to inquire your SPECS address so I could message you, only to find out you had only just requested one."

"Sorry."

"You don't need to apologize. I was wrong for immediately assuming you had one." She waved her hand, as if declaring the matter settled.

They lapsed into a short silence before Hope moved. He pulled out the ring together with its chain from his coat pocket and held it between them. The back of his palm rested against the table he was seated at.

"This ring…" he said softly, his gaze settled on the ivory white ring.

"It's my apprenticeship ring." She supplied easily.

"I know -" Again, Hope caught himself, "I mean, someone told me what it was. But I… don't know what it means. Why you're contemplating to give it to me. What it means if I accept it. I'm pretty much in the dark about why this conversation is even happening between us." He replied helplessly.

He raised his eyes to meet hers. "I don't even know your name." He added quietly.

"First of all," she began, "My name is Claire Farron. I go by Lightning usually. You can call me Light, if you want."

She continued on to her explanation without pause.

"An apprenticeship ring is something passed from an older student to a younger student. Its something like an agreement, or a partnership, rather. The one giving the ring is called the 'mentor' who looks after the younger student who receives the ring, called the 'apprentice'. Each student can only ever have one apprentice and students are only eligible for mentorship once they have finished one year of apprenticeship. It was a system implemented to keep a barrier from forming between the older and younger students. Its supposed to build camaraderie and teamwork within the student body." She explained clearly.

She paused, to see if he had any questions. Hope nodded once.

"That makes sense, at least."

Hope paused for a moment and glanced around the very much empty room.

"This is off topic - but are we allowed to stay here this late? Won't the school lock us in or something?"

Lightning shook her head. "I have special authorization to be in school when I need to. It's fine since you're with me." She replied, "Is there something more specific you want to ask me?" Hope knew she was talking about the ring.

Hooe thought for a bit. "I can't comprehend why you'd want to make me 'your' apprentice. I mean, I'm new. I don't really stand out nor am I extraordinary for you to take me into consideration at all. Would it be wrong to ask why?"

Lightning shook her head again, "No, its a perfectly logical question." She easily agreed. She thought for a moment.

"Aren't you just… being pressured into taking an apprentice? By that Fang person from yesterday? If so, anyone would do? Even me?" He asked cautiously.

Lightning glared at him and snorted lightly. "If I could be 'pressured' by Fang to take an apprentice so easily, I would've done so when I was a second year." She said with a slight shake of her head.

This surprised Hope. "You're a third year student?"

"You couldn't tell the from our meeting yesterday?" She gave him a quizzical look. At Hope's audible 'no', she pointed to her right collar where there seemed to be something gold embedded near the edge.

When Hope focused a bit more, he found it to be the roman numeral for the number 3.

"You have a I on your collar too. Second years have a II on theirs."

So she really was a senior. A senior student already halfway through her final school year without an apprentice.

"Okay, I'll keep that in mind." He nodded to convey that he understood. "You still didn't answer my question though, Light." He pointed out quietly, saying the name she suggested he use.

If it was such a special position, to be someone's apprentice. He still didn't know why she was considering him at all. It seemed like she had absolutely no intention of taking on one until she graduated - until now. Until they had encountered each other yesterday.

Lightning closed her eyes for a moment. "If I were to explain it in simple terms… it would be because we're having a conversation like this." She answered vaguely.

"I don't understand what you mean." He responded honestly.

"That ring is special to me, an important senior passed it on to me when I was a freshman. I usually feel uneasy without it." She looked at him to see if he was following where she was going.

"But yesterday, when you were holding the ring. Even I don't understand why, but I felt like it was okay to leave it with you while I did what I needed to do. I was able to say 'Keep it safe for me." which, in itself is already a surprise." She added with a touch of uncertainty she couldn't mask.

Hope could tell she wasn't lying when she said she didn't understand. That hint of frustration at herself was imposible to fake. And she wasn't the type to lie either.

"In the last year and a half since my mentor graduated, I've never met anyone who could remove that uneasiness. I thought it would be impossible for me to find anyone suitable as my apprentice. No matter how much Fang and the others pressured me, as long as I couldn't leave the ring in good hands, I would have preferred to graduate, taking it with me."

She stared at him, "But you're here," she gestured to the ring between them. " Right in front of me. If I wanted my ring back, this would be the right time take it. But at this moment, I feel no desire or urgency to take it back from you."

Lightning let out a soft breath. She squared her shoulders and looked at Hope with quiet determination.

"So I want to ask you, will you accept my ring?"

"You want me to keep it?" Hope asked carefully.

"Yes, if you can, I want you to keep it safe for me - because this ring is very important to me. This is a request wholly out of my selfishness so you can refuse if you dont want to." Her voice sounded resigned. As if she was already preparing herself for a rejection.

She gave him the option to refuse. Hope thought she would be more forceful. Believing he wouldn't reject her ring. That was how he imagined this conversation would go.

But she had given him the choice to decline.

To follow after her. Or to not follow after her.

Six months was such a short time. But she wanted someone look after something important to her. She believed he would suffice for the time she had left in the school. Not any body else in the school. Just him.

How could he refuse her like this? Her reason for choosing him was vague. And he had only met her yesterday. But Hope couldn't bring himself to decline her request. Because he felt she wasn't the type to ask honestly like this.

Hope took a deep breath and closed his hand over the white ring in his palm.

"If you're fine with someone like me. I gladly accept it."

6 months. Only half a year. Hope supposed that would be enough to get to know her better.

Lightning didn't smile or anything but Hope could tell she was pleased. He saw it in the subtle way her eyes lit up once he had spoken.

"Thank you, Hope."

He didn't think it was possible to be happy just by being thanked. But the faint smile which accompanied those words was special without a doubt. To have brought a smile to 'the' Lightning Farron was an achievement Hope had yet to realize magnitude of.

* * *

 **Endnote** : Uploading the first chapter with the Prologue so you get a feel of how the story flows. If you might have noticed, some elements are similar to the anime Maria Watches Over Us (Young as I was, when I watched this. I had no idea it was _that_ sort of anime). I liked the concept of passing something from senior to junior so there you have it. Its the main link in this story.


	3. Here You Are

AN. Well, the only reason I made this fanfic is simply that for de-stressing. I have a lot of other more complex plot bunnies up my sleeve but I just don't have the time or confidence to commit myself to it right now. If I do, and when I do get the nerve to actually post another fic, you will know. I hope to hear more of your comments then as well. :)

* * *

 **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **Chapter 2**

But Here You Are

 **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

* * *

The process of passing on the ring was simple. Like Chocolina had said, the ring was person specific so it had to be specified for him.

Lightning placed two fingers lightly over the ring on his palm between them.

"Authorization access granted from Claire Farron to Hope Estheim. Identification mode on." The ring obtained an uncharacteristic glow at her words. Lightning picked up the ring and pulled it out of its chain.

"Which hand will you wear it on?" She inquired as he held the ring aloft with her right thumb and index finger.

"Where did you use to wear it?" Hope inquired. It wasn't something that concerned Hope very much, but he asked just to satisfy his curiosity.

Lightnigh raised her left hand. "Middle finger of my left hand. Since I'm right handed." She added the last sentence as an explanation.

"I'll wear it the same way." Hope responded smoothly with a smile.

She looked puzzled at him reply. "But you're left handed," she pointed out. Hope didn't know how she figured that out.

"For most things," he agreed. "It wont be a problem." He assured her. Lightning stared at him for a moment, then nodded and held his left hand which he had also situated between them. In one quick and precise movement, she slipped on the ring on the indicated finger. With her fingers still in contact with the ring and his hand, Lightning continued to speak.

"Register joint owner user. Hope Estheim." There was a sudden prick beneath the ring and Hope flinched slightly. The ring adjusted in size to fit his finger, loosening a bit.

"Register voice activation." she glanced at him and mouthed the word 'speak'.

"Hope Estheim." He spoke his name as clearly as he could to let the ring properly record it. The ring stopped glowing and remained firmly attached to his finger. Hope had tried turning it around his finger but found it immovable.

"There. It's done." Lightning said softly, letting go of his hand. She stared at his face wordlessly, as if she were trying to come to terms with something.

"I'm really your apprentice." He spoke before he understood what he wanted to say and her eyes widened slightly. Hope wondered if he had said the wrong thing.

"You are." she agreed with smile. He had said something right for once. "We should head out now, you need to get home." Lightning moved and began walking down the aisle back to the door. Hope pulled on his backpack and trailed after her.

"What about you?" Because she had said 'you' rather than 'we'.

"I live in the nearby dorms so I don't need to commute. I wouldn't want to worry your parents by you coming home late."

"My father doesn't really mind. He goes home even later than I do."

By this time, the two of them were already walking down the hallway side by side.

"He cares in his own way." Lightning spoke quietly. "Even if he isn't there, he can't just stop caring."

"If he did, he should spend more time with his family." Hope said with a hint of bitterness.

Lightning hummed, "I don't know how a father should act. I grew up without parents, so…" her voice trailed off. Hope glanced at her. Her face was expressionless.

"Does that bother you?" He asked curiously. As a person who had lost his mother at a young age, he knew that sympathy wasn't something people wanted when they told you such things. It wasn't that way with him three years ago.

Lightning turned to look at him, "It used to. But not so much anymore." She shifted her gaze again.

Hope nodded.

"Do you have any siblings?" Lightning questioned.

"No, I'm an only child." Hope answered.

"Does that bother you?" She posed him the same question and Hope smiled.

"Sometimes." Hope admitted, "Our house, even our old house in Palumpolum, has always been really big. It's just me and my Dad. Since my Dad is usually busy, I'm always at home by myself. At those times, I think it would be great if I had a sibling to talk to or spend time with." He explained, keeping his voice even.

Lightning was quiet for a moment.

"I have a sibling. A younger sister." She said quietly.

"Are you close?"

"No," she replied. "We didn't grow up together. She was adopted into a different family."

"Oh." Hope tried to think of a good reply to that.

Lightning gave another faint smile, as if to reassure him it wasn't a sensitive topic.

"Having a sibling… doesn't mean you wont feel lonely." She added. Hope thought about that and he knew she was referring to her own feelings..

"But I'll keep you company." Hope interjected confidently.

"…what?"

"When you feel lonely, I'll keep you company." Hope clarified. "It's the least an apprentice can do."

Lightning stared at him with an unreadable expression. The two of them stopped just in front of the main building entrance. Lightning reached up and poked his forehead with her index finger.

"You're going to be doing a lot more than just keeping me company. Don't think I'll go easy on you."

She slid her ID card through the door lock and stepped back as the glass doors slid apart after the beep.

"Boot up your SPECS when you get home and read the Student Manual as well." Lightning pulled out a piece of paper from her blazer pocket and handed it to Hope as she pushed him past the glass doors.

"That's my SPECS address. Be sure to save it in your unit. Message me when you've figured out how." The doors were about to close now.

"And be careful on your way home."

An audible thud followed when the door closed completely. Lightning made a shooing motion before she turned around and began walking.

Hope surmised that she would take a different route than his own, so she let them part at this point.

* * *

###

Since he was a kid, Hope always had a knack for electronics. Oftentimes as a child, he took to dismantling countless gadgets in their home in order to figure out how they worked. His Dad had scolded him one too many times whenever his father had used one of the gadgets he had wrongly reassembled. Over the course of time, Hope had already mastered a system of carefully dismantling a gadget to understand the function of each component, to easily putting it back together once he had understood and memorized all of it.

Which is exactly why Hope didn't do exactly as Light had told him to.

At the moment, the countless parts of the SPECS unit were scattered across his work table in his room. On the left side were the physical components, on the right side was his computer, analyzing the software and data processor the unit used.

He had learned advanced programming previously from one of his university internet friends and at the moment, he was trying to identify some of the risks this software posed. Even the security system of their house was something Hope had secretly modified to suit his level of protection.

Another barrier hindered him from going further and he skillfully bypassed it with another program he designed specifically for hacking.

Hope alternated between reading the student manual and reading the data logs of his unit to understand the main software that managed the other applications installed.

By the time he had actually remebered to message Lightning, it was already 2:30 in the morning. He had gotten too carried away. He knew the time would appear when she received the message - but he knew it would be worse if he didn't message her at all.

To: [ ]

From: [ ]

Light, it's Hope.

***end of message***

Hope didn't say anything else. If he was going to explain, he would do it tomorrow when they met. If she was still awake, he doubted she'd want to read a really long message, so he made sure to keep it short.

Hope stared at the white ring adorning his left hand until he fell asleep.

* * *

###

The next day, Hope entered his first class with a small headache from his lack of sleep. He sauntered towards his assigned seat and sluggishly sat down. He had woken up later than usual and had to forgo drinking a cup of coffee to be in class on time.

Due to a stroke of misfortune, his first professor managed to catch him sleeping and had asked him to stand at the front of the classroom.

"Now listen here you. You may be the new kid but I don't tolerate kids sleeping in my class, alright? I don't stand here early in the morning just to let you go snoozin' about your business." The dark-skinned man said sternly.

Hope pulled out his name from memory, "Sorry, Mr. Katzroy. It wont happen again."

"I'm making sure it wont. Seeing as how you've already got an apprentice ring even though you've just transferred-" the mention of the ring seemed to have caught the attention of the other students who had been looking on uninterested.

"I'm informing your mentor so they can straighten you out for me. Who is your mentor?"

Hope remained silent for a moment too long.

"Kid, I'm gonna need that name." Sazh Katzroy repeated.

"Lightning Farron, Sir." There was a collective wave of silence followed by numerous outbursts.

"Impossible!"

"'THE' Lightning Farron?"

"I thought she wasn't going to take an apprentice."

"I don't believe it!"

"Could he be lying?"

"It's true! Check the official list on the Academia web page." Another student shouted. Most of the students pulled out their SPECS and began typing rapidly and scrolling down quickly.

Amidst all of this, Hope was left stunned. He watched dumbly as the other students likely searched for his name in the online list of registered apprentices and mentors.

All of them became silent at one point and began staring openly at Hope with a mixture of disbelief and awe. Hope didn't know how to respond and awkwardly scratched the back of his head, fixing his gaze on the professor who was looking at him like he had grown a second head.

Once people had quited down. Professor Katzroy let out a hooting whistle. "Well, I'll be. So it is true," he said, glancing around at the other students. "I thought you were just bluffin'. If you can make Lightning Farron choose you as her apprentice, you must be really amazing - or just really unlucky." The Professor came forward and placed a (what Hope presumed it to be) consoling hand on his shoulder.

Lightning couldn't be as bad as this guy was making her out to be. She was nice enough to him.

"I'm forgiving you just this once. If you 'ever' sleep in my class again, you're on your own. Now get back to your seat. We're continuing the lesson."

Hope made his way back to his seat, trying very hard to ignore the inquisitive stares boring into him.

He knew Lightning stood out - but he didn't expect her to stand out 'this' much.

After that class Hope couldn't go anywhere without people repeatedly asking how it happened or what he did. All of them seemed to think it was a mirable that Lightning chose him. Hope was getting weary of repeatedly evading all of their questions.

Hope dreaded leaving his last class before lunch break. He was sure there would be even more in the cafeteria. Just as he was about to get up and leave the classroom, Hope heard an alert on his SPECS unit.

He checked and found that it was a message. He opened it and after scanning it, was filled with relief.

From: [ ]

To: [ ]

If you want to avoid a crowd, head to the infirmary and request a separate cubicle from the doctor where you can rest. I informed the doctor that you could use it. I'll drop by with some food after I drop by the Cafeteria. I've attached a map you can follow to encounter the least number of people.

***end of message***

Hope made his way to the Infirmary using the map Light had made and true to her word, Hope passed by a minimal number of people outside. If he did pass by people, they paid him no mind at least.

He entered the infirmary quietly and told the Doctor Lightning's instructions. The Doctor, who was called Cid Raines, smiled knowingly and led him toward a cubicle at the very end.

"This is Miss Farron's reserved private cubicle. She comes here frequently to rest and catch up to some work. Please make yourself comfortable."

Hope set down his bag on the nearby chair and sat himself on the neatly made bed. There was a stack of papers and an organizer with attached colored labels on the desk nearby. The blanket he was sitting on was light pink with faint rose patterns and the pillow was covered with the same pattern. This wasn't something standard to a clinic - this was standard Lightning. He lied down perpendicular to the bed and closed his eyes. It smelled clean and fresh, like a forest early morning after the rain.

Hope was roused a few minutes later by a soft knock. He blearily made out Lightning at the edge of the bed looking down at him.

"Hope, get up and eat something first." She lightly tugged the cuff of his blazer and Hope dragged himself upright.

Lightning placed something cold in his right hand and something warm in his other hand.

"Its a grilled cheese sandwich. You should eat it while its hot."

"Thanks…" he murmured, trying to focus and wake his brain.

"The one in your left hand is iced coffee. I don't know your preference so I went with my own mix. It should keep you from falling asleep in class."

Hope nodded sleepily.

"Hope, if you don't pull yourself together in 10 seconds, I'm leaving."

That woke up Hope up considerably. He shook his head to dispel any remaining sleepiness.

"Sorry. I'll wake up now." He apologized and offered her a rueful smile.

"Drink." She ordered.

Hope complied quickly. He drank a large sip of Lightning's mix and regretted it immediately. The bitterness was an extra punch to wake him up. He knew he had made a face because a small snort came from Lightning. Hope frowned slightly at her, she held out her hand and dropped packets of sugar and cream on his lap.

"Use these. I figured you were the sweet coffee type."

"Not particularly. This is just too bitter, Light." There was a note of complaint.

"It fufills the purpose of waking me up. That's what coffee is for, isn't it?"

Hope opened 2 packets of sugar and dropped the contents into the cup. Lightning handed him a plastic stirrer as she relocated his bag to the top of the table and sat herself on the chair.

"You look tired." It wasn't a question.

Hope took a bite of the sandwich and chewed as he thought of how he would phrase how he felt at the moment. Lightning leaned against the chair and crossed her legs and arms. It was a sign that she was willing to wait.

"I don't recall you mentioning anything about garnering this much attention. Was there something about your status apart from being a third year that I missed?"

He took small sip of the coffee to see if the taste had improved. He made another face.

Still too bitter.

He opened another packet of sugar and began stirring it in when she spoke.

"I'm not exactly what you would call 'popular'."

"Would notorious be a better term? Or infamous?" There was no hint of mocking in the way Hope phrased his question. He was simply trying to understand what she meant.

"Infamous would be a better term," she agreed, seemingly pleased he had caught on fast. "I'm not exactly known for being nice. Rather, to others I seem to be quite a formidable person."

Hope nodded. He could understand a bit why they would think so.

"I'm the Vice President of the Student Government. I was coerced into running for the position by Fang when we were in second year." Lightning said with a small frown, as if the memory greatly displeased her.

"I'm the only student whose education is sponsored by the Principal so academically, I'm at the top of my year." She continued her list of achievements and Hope was able to slowly piece together how people perceived Lightning Farron.

"I'm also a member of the school fencing club-"

"I think you mean 'ace', rather than just a member?" Hope interjected.

Lightning let out a small huff. "Fine. Whichever way you want." She added carelessly. Hope had a feeling he was right.

"I think the main factor why you're gaining so much attention is because I've rejected a lot of others who asked me to be their mentor in the last year and a half since my mentor graduated. Everyone must have concluded I would graduate without taking an apprentice when the first half of the school year passed with no developments."

"But here I am." Hope let out a small sigh.

Lightning nodded. "Yes, here you are. I presume people are just dying to know who 'the' Lightning Farron chose as her apprentice after such a long wait." She closed her eyes and gave an irritated sigh.

"I see." Hope finished off his sandwich.

"I didn't want to trouble you like this." This was as good as an apology from Lightning.

Hope crumpled the wrapper into a ball and took another sip of coffee.

"It's alright. They'll get tired soon enough when they realize I'm pretty ordinary." Hope said in a reassuring tone. Lightning cared enough to let him use her personal resting space like this. Lightning was silent at this though, Hope wondered why.

"Thanks for the food and coffee." He smiled gratefully.

"No problem." Lightning glanced at her watch briefly. "There's still 25 minutes before the end of lunch break. You should sleep a bit more. I'll be going ahead." Lightning stood up.

She leaned forward and poked his forehead the same way as before. "Don't be late for class and comb your hair before you leave - you have terrible bed head." Lightning straightened and made her way out of the cubicle. Before she left his line of vision though, she glanced back shortly.

"Don't forget to fix the bed properly before you leave, too."

And with that, she was gone. The quiet footsteps remained only a short while before the audible click of a door was heard.

Hope drank the last of the coffee and settled back on the bed, this time leaning against the metal headboard to keep himself from lying down fully.

He closed his eyes and felt satisfied. A meal and coffee, together with a quiet chat with Lightning.

Lunch had gone much better than he had anticipated.

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Endnote: Well, that's that. Leave a review if you have the time! :) Ciao!


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